A north-east secondary school has launched an innovative way of helping pupils from lower income backgrounds.
The new “comfort cabinet” has been installed at Ellon Academy, where disadvantaged youngsters can help themselves to various essential items in private.
Donna Lyon, one of the school’s principal teachers, said: “It’s open to everybody, but we have specifically targeted those receiving free school dinners.
“They received letters home explaining about the comfort cabinet and inviting them in to see it.
“It contains various items – for example stationery, clothes, toiletries, sanitary items and scientific calculators.
“It’s things that for some people are perhaps a bit too expensive.
“It gives pupils access to these items in a discrete manner.”
She added: “We had set aside money for them, but in the end everything was donated from people and organisations in the community.
“The kindness and generosity has been overwhelming.”
Ellon councillor Isobel Davidson said: “I think it’s a superb initiative.
“It covers a wide range of things from school uniforms, underwear, and supports school pupils with things they might otherwise struggle to get hold of through their circumstances.
“They’ve had very good input from families, and in fact the idea has been taken up by other initiatives.”
A similar scheme has been launched by Modo, a youth theatre group in Peterhead.
